Key Storylines
- AFRICA: The WHO vowed to investigate the allegations against its aid workers in DR Congo who were accused of sexually abusing and exploiting women.
- AMERICAS: US President Donald Trump dismissed the threat of white supremacist groups and their role in violence in some US cities this summer, while also telling one far-right group to “stand back and stand by.”
- ASIA: A special court in India acquitted some senior members of the country’s ruling party for their alleged role in the demolition of a mosque in 1992 which triggered religious violence and led to the deaths of around 2,000 people.
- EUROPE: Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces continue to fight over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, as France and Turkey trade accusations against each other causing a rise in international tensions.
- MIDDLE EAST: Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah is now the country’s new ruling Emir, after spending decades working in Kuwaiti security services.
- TECH & COMMUNICATIONS: China is reportedly set to begin an antitrust probe into Alphabet Inc’s Google to investigate allegations that the company leveraged the dominance of its Android mobile operating system to suppress its competition.
Top Story
- Belgium: New government forms after 16-month deadlock.
- Seven parties from both sides of the country’s linguistic divide agreed to form a majority government.
- The agreement means Belgium finally has a majority government almost 500 days after the most recent election.
- Caretaker Finance Minister and current Flemish Liberal leader Alexander De Croo was chosen by the parties to be the country’s next Prime Minister, and will be sworn-in tomorrow.
- The seven parties involved in the agreement include liberal, socialist and green parties from all parts of the country, as well as the Flemish Christian Democrats.
- The parties said they agreed to forming a majority government to help Belgium tackle the social and economic fallout of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
- Reporting: AP, Reuters, DPA, AFP
Africa
- Region: Zambia called for regional cooperation to ward off or control the locust swarms that threaten the agricultural sector of multiple countries. (Xinhua)
- DR Congo: The WHO vowed to investigate the allegations against its aid workers in the country who were accused of sexually abusing and exploiting women. (BBC)
- Libya: A US Federal Judge rejected commander Khalifa Hifter’s request to toss out lawsuits accusing him of war atrocities. (AP)
Americas
- Brazil: Appeals court Federal Judge Maria Carvalho suspended President Jair Bolsonaro’s plans to end regulations protecting tropical mangroves and other coastal ecosystems. (BBC)
- Canada: Quebec state Premier Francois Legault denounced racist comments made by two nurses about a dying indigenous woman in hospital. (AFP)
- Peru: Doctors went on a two-day strike in the country to protest against working conditions and the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. (EFE)
- United States: President Donald Trump dismissed the threat of white supremacist groups and their role in violence in some cities this summer, while also telling one far-right group to “stand back and stand by.” (AP)
- Venezuela: A wave of protests emerged across the country as angry citizens flout coronavirus restrictions to demand an end to the shortages of basic goods, services and necessities such as electricity, water, fuel, and household supplies. (Guardian)
Asia
- China: Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong was granted bail following his formal charge for participating in an unauthorized assembly in October 2019. (Reuters)
- India: A special court acquitted some senior members of the country’s ruling party for their alleged role in the demolition of a mosque in 1992 which triggered religious violence and led to the deaths of around 2,000 people. (AP)
- Japan: The military requested an increased budget to the new government, including funding for the development of an advanced stealth fighter to counter new Chinese aircraft. (Reuters)
- Papua New Guinea: Residents of the Bougainville region accused mining giant Rio Tinto of causing environmental and human rights violations and requested an investigation. (NYT)
Europe
- Region: Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces continue to fight over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, as France and Turkey trade accusations against each other causing a rise in international tensions. (Reuters)
- France: Five activists who tried to seize an African funeral pole from a Paris museum in protest against colonial-era plundering are set to go on trial. (AP)
- Germany: Chancellor Angela Merkel defended her breaking of a constitutional rule on borrowing money as saying it was “the right thing” to do to help tackle the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, during her budget speech to the Bundestag. (Deutsche Welle)
- The Holy See: The Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering team arrived in the city-state that is mired in a financial scandal that caused one of the Vatican’s most powerful cardinals to resign recently. (AP)
- United Kingdom: The lower house of Parliament voted in favor of government plans to override sections of its Brexit deal with the EU, despite concerns that doing so would break international law. (BBC)
Middle East
- Iran: The International Atomic Energy Agency says it investigated the second of two suspected former secret nuclear sites in the country as agreed with Tehran last month. (Reuters)
- Kuwait: Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah is now the country’s new ruling Emir, after spending decades working in the country’s security services. (AP)
- Syria: Businessman Rami Makhlouf, a cousin and longtime ally of President Bashar al-Assad, urged Assad to stop security forces from dismantling charities that served the poor among loyalists in the country’s civil war. (Reuters)
- United Arab Emirates: The country will run for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2022-2023 term. (AFP)
Tech & Communications
- Tech Regulation: China is reportedly set to begin an antitrust probe into Alphabet Inc’s Google to investigate allegations that the company leveraged the dominance of its Android mobile operating system to suppress its competition. (Reuters)
World
- Cyclones: Nothing to report.
- Hurricanes: Nothing to report.
- Earthquakes: Nothing to report.
- Volcanoes: Nothing to report.
- Global Disease Outbreaks:
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
- Confirmed Cases as of 30SEP20: 33,676,272
- Total Recovered Cases as of 30SEP20: 23,419,066
- Deaths as of 30SEP20: 1,008,368
- Countries with Confirmed Cases: 188
- Sourcing: John Hopkins University
- Ebola Virus Disease: DR Congo (11th Ebola outbreak figures from Equateur Province)
- Confirmed Cases as of 26SEP20: 118
- Probable Cases as of 26SEP20: 6
- Deaths as of 26SEP20: 50
- Sourcing: WHO
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease: Global
Tomorrow’s Outlook (01OCT20)
- Global: Russia takes over the UN Security Council monthly presidency from Niger.
- Global: The third Urban 20 (U20) Mayors Summit will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (to 02OCT)
- Africa: US Defense Secretary Mark Esper will visit Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. (to 02OCT)
- Europe: The leaders of EU member-states will meet for a special EU summit, with tensions between Greece and Turkey expected to be the biggest point of discussion. (to 02OCT)
- Europe: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Greece, Italy, the Holy See, and Croatia. (to 02OCT)
- Europe: The Environment Ministers of EU member-states will hold informal meetings.
- Europe: Brexit discussions between the UK and the European Union continue. (to 02OCT)
- Algeria: Lawyers are expected to hold a countrywide strike for the ‘right to a defense’.
- Belgium: Face masks will no longer be mandatory from this date on in Brussels.
- China: National Day – 1949
- Cyprus: The US will lift parts of its arms embargo on the country.
- Cyprus: Independence Day – 1960
- France: Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will visit and meet with Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
- Lebanon: Parliament is expected to discuss an amnesty law due to a spike in coronavirus cases in the country’s jails.
- Nigeria: Independence Day – 1960
- Pakistan: The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction enters into force between the US and the country.
- South Africa: The country will reopen its borders to international travelers.
- Turkey: A new law requiring social media platforms to open offices in the country or else face penalties will go into effect.
- Tuvalu: Independence Day – 1978
- United States: President Donald Trump is expected to speak at the 75th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner.
- United States: The Senate Commerce Committee will vote on whether to subpoena the CEOs of Google, Facebook and Twitter.
- Vietnam: The central bank will cut key policy rates to boost economic growth.
- Zimbabwe: Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera will visit and meet with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
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